Details

Use Insect Dust to eliminate crawling insects around your home. Our diatomaceous earth comes in the form of a chalky powder, and is the natural fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. Diatom particles are very small and sharp – but only harmful to the small exoskeletons of insects. Insects cannot become immune to its action, as it is a mechanical killer – not a chemical one. Because it is a light dust, diatomaceous earth easily clings to the bodies of insects as they crawl over it. The tiny diatom particles then cut into the waxy coating of insects and they dry out and die of dehydration within 48 hours.

Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth is an all-natural product that is so safe it can be sprinkled around your vegetable patch, or rubbed right into your dog's fur. Non-food-grade diatomaceous earth is dangerous and should be avoided.

What Insects Does It Control?

Fleas

Ants

Ticks

Silverfish

Cockroaches

Bed bugs

Carpet beetles

Spiders

Earwigs

Spider mites

House flies

Slugs and snails

For Indoor Use:

Lightly coat a thin layer in areas where insects are found or may hide, such as kitchen cupboards, behind and under appliances, baseboards or drain pipes. For carpets, lightly sprinkle the Insect Dust over the carpet, and leave for 2-3 days before vacuuming.

You can leave the dust in place until you no longer see any signs of insects in that area, at which point you can clean it up.

Fleas

Thoroughly dust floor, carpets and bedding in and around pet's sleeping areas, as well as surrounding baseboards, cracks and crevices. Safe to use around your pets - it can be rubbed right into your dog's fur.

Bedbugs

Take apart bed and dust joints and channels. Dust any hollow tubing and the interior framework as well as the mattress and all cracks in the room. Use a turkey baster or duster to apply clouds of the dust over the affected area. Leave the dust for a few days. It is still safe to sleep in your bed even while the dust is present.

Silverfish

Lightly dust in and around kitchen and bathroom plumbing, along baseboards and wherever else silverfish are found.

Carpet Beetles

For Outdoor Use:

Lightly coat a thin layer of diatomaceous earth on areas where insects are found, such as patios, door frames, foundations, sewer pipes and drains. Apply as a barrier around plants, trees and garden beds. For best results, reapply the Insect Dust after heavy rainfall.

Flies

Thoroughly dust areas where flies frequent, such as livestock pens and kennels. It can be applied to livestock coat as an insect repellent/contact insecticide. DE can also be added to the food of pets and livestock. The DE helps as a de-worming agent for livestock, and it ends up in their dung. Flies lay eggs on the dung which hatch into maggots, which are then killed by the DE. This is an effective method for fly control, especially on farms and homesteads, and in outdoor areas where animals are present.

Fire Ants

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth directly on the ant mound, or mix with water to saturate the mound. It can also be sprinkled along ant trails. The ants will track the DE back to their nests where the colony will be exposed to its abrasive action.

Slugs and other garden pests

Apply as a barrier around plants and garden beds. Reapply after rain. Any diatomaceous earth that washes into soil will continue to benefit your garden, since it acts like vermiculite in retaining water for future slow release. Our diatomaceous earth is OMRI listed for organic use.

Diatomaceous earth will not harm worms or any of the beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Lice control for chickens

Lice are a common scourge around chickens and can lower their vitality resulting in fewer eggs and disease. Set a "dusting box" of DE in the corner of the coop and chickens will continually apply themselves with DE. This will reduce or eliminate lice within a few days.

Safety

Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth is uncalcined amorphous silica, which comes from natural freshwater deposits in the USA. The freshwater naturally occurring diatomaceous earth deposits that are designated Food Grade by the FDA have less than 1% crystalline silica. These deposits are primarily amorphous silica which is harmless when ingested and is commonly used in feed and food industries. Insect Dust is certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute.

Insect Dust is registered as an insecticide with the EPA, so it is required to have a generic health warning on the bag, despite its safety.

Environmental Health Coalition refers to Diatomaceous Earth as one of the least toxic insect controls on their "Home Safe Home" fact sheet about safe household cleaners and indoor pest control.

Professor Stuart Hill at McGill University describes Diatomaceous Earth as non-toxic and feeling like talc when you touch it. He says that if you are going to apply large quantities, you should wear a face mask to avoid inhaling it. However, he mentions that inhaling common road dust is probably more harmful than inhaling Diatomaceous Earth.

Please note that food-grade diatomaceous earth should not be confused with "pool grade" diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth used in pool or water filtration contains DE that has been chemically treated and heated making the silica crystalline which is a dangerous respiratory hazard and harmful to the health of humans and animals.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

We want you to be completely satisfied with every purchase you make. If you are in any way dissatisfied with a product you ordered, we'll exchange it, replace it or refund your money within 30 days of purchase. Simply email us the problem, and we'll take care of you.
Certain products have extended warranties (up to 50 years!) that are listed on the particular product page.
Please call us at 1-888-451-6752 if you need further clarification.

Additional Information

Weight

4.4 pounds

Coverage

1800 square feet

Key Feature

Safe, non-toxic diatomaceous earth for crawling insect control

Origin

Made in the U.S.A.

Shipping Information

Shipping Details:

Insured against damage or loss while in transit

This Product Ships To:

US Lower 48

Ships Via:

Fedex, UPS, or USPS

Questions about the Insect Dust Diatomaceous Earth - 4.4 lb

The website indicates that this product is safe for pets.
My 3-week old kittens are infested by fleas. Would it be safe to apply this product on them? What about on the mother who is with the litter all the time?

Thanks.

Hi Melis,
Yes, diatomaceous earth is completely safe for your cats, even the young kittens. You can rub DE into their fur, and also the mother cat's fur. Sprinkle it in and around their bedding.
DE is especially good at long-term control of fleas, and other insects as well. The insects outer skin is scored by the DE which leads to their dehydration and death, usually within a few days of coming into contact with the DE. Results are not immediate.
In your case, since there is an infestation, you may need instant as well as long-term control of fleas. I suggest you get one of our electric flea traps and set this beside the litter. This will decrease their numbers quickly, and the DE will finish the job and keep the fleas away over time.
Also, cats will continue to bring in fleas, so it's a good plan to sprinkle DE in areas where the cats frequent.
We don't have cats anymore, but even now we sprinkle DE in all the rooms of our home to keep the bug population down. I can speak from personal experience to the effectiveness and safety of diatomaceous earth.
Greg

Being food grade, does this mean it will be safe to use in my vegetable/fruit garden? I have a terrible problem with ants in the garden.

Hi Jan,

Insect Dust (Diatomaceous Earth) is safe to use in your vegetable garden. It is safe for you and for your plants.

For best results, you need to understand how DE works. When insects come into contact with DE, their exoskeleton becomes scratched by the microscpoic sharp egdes of DE, and soon they dry out and die. So you want to place the DE in a spot which the insects will cross. In outdoor locations such as a garden, the DE will be most effective when dry. You may want to reapply the DE after a rain. Strong wind may also blow away some of the DE, so try to put it in a place where there will some wind protection.

We have used DE at our home for years, both indoors and outdoors, and have found it to be the single best nontoxic insect control product we have used.

I have been told that D.E. is also good to use around chicken pens. How would be the best way to apply?

Insect Dust (Diatomaceous Earth) can be sprinkled inside the coop, especially in crevices or cracks which harbor mites. You can also sprinkle some DE in nesting boxes inside the coop. Over time, the chickens will displace the DE as they scratch the bedding in the coop, and some DE will be buried. You will need to reapply occasionally, depending on the type of bedding in your coop.

I have a tea cup yorkie, and a 15 pound cat. I would very much like to use this product on and around the area of my Tea Cup dog. However she is only 3 pounds. And does lick herself. Also.... my cat grooms herself frequently....

so, is this safe for the teacup?

Yes, our Insect Dust (Diatomaceous Earth) is completely safe for the Teacp Yorkie and the cat. Licking the diatomaceous earth is harmless, as this is food grade DE.
Just sprinkle the DE in areas where insect pests frequent, and if possible, sprinkle it where the vacuum cleaner will not suck it up too quickly.

Hi, just popped in from New Zealand and was wondering if you had a price (currency conversion) for the DE and USP for delivery to NZ? Really interested in your product.....

Hi Jacqui,
We are sorry but we are unable to ship DE overseas. This is due to the cost of shipping, and our warehouse is not set up to do the paperwork involved. You may have a friend in the US who can receive the DE for you and forward it to you, but we are unable to do this ourselves.
Greg

If I buy the 4.4lb bag is there an expiration date to when the bag must be throwed away if all is not used in two years?
Or can it be used till gone?

I'm interested because we are being invaded by tiny ants that we can't find where there coming from. My son's 5th wheel trailer is more invested that us.
I'm all for natural since we have a 10 Jack Russell Terrier.

There is no time expiry on Insect Dust (Diatomaceous Earth). You will not have to throw away any unused DE because it remains viable in storage over time. It will be effective against your ant problem.

I have a dog, cat and bearded dragons that roam free in the house, will this have any harmful effects on my lizards?

Insect Dust (Diatomaceous Earth) is safe for use around your house pets, including the bearded dragons.

DE is the consistency of talcum powder. To an insect, the DE is abrasive and scores the exoskeleton, leading to dehydration and death. But to larger creatures, the abrasive particles are too small to cause irritation.

We are having Carpenter Ant problems in our house, will the ants take this back to their colony killing it off or should we use something along with DE?

Carpenter ants will not carry DE back to their nests. DE will kill carpenter ants which come in contact with it, but the effect is not immediate. There are a few products on the market which contain boric acid, which will have some effect on the colony, but boric acid is a poison and needs to be handled with care. In some cases, products containing boric acid need to be applied professionally.

We use DE exclusively for controlling carpenter ants. It has been effective over time.

Is this Amorphous DE. or Diatomite DE? I read there are different types of DE and cannot find any specs on ingredients or type for this product? I understand one is known to cause cancer, can you clarify?

Amorphous DE is food grade, freshwater diatomaceous earth.
"Pool filter" grade DE has been heated to the point ot melting, making it much more crystaline and abrasive. As a result it is irritating to lungs and other soft tissue, making it carcinogenic.
The DE we sell is food grade, and safe for applications in the home, safe around children safe for use on pets, and safe for use in the garden as a slug repellent.